East Lincoln prepares to face big, physical Patriots

Watching film of the next opponent doesn’t always give East Lincoln’s offense the best insight into what kind of defense it will actually face.

Phillip Gardner

DENVER — Watching film of the next opponent doesn’t always give East Lincoln’s offense the best insight into what kind of defense it will actually face.

Ever since Garrett Young passed for 349 yards in the season opener, the Mustangs have seen one thing on film and something completely different on game night. That’s the penalty East Lincoln pays for operating an efficient passing offense that most teams don’t face on a regular basis.

“We’re a pass-first team. If you’re scouting us and you want to take away the pass first, you do a little bit of different stuff than you normally do,” East Lincoln coach Mike Byus said.

Young has grown accustomed to the weekly occurrence. Known for his deep football knowledge, the senior said the offense must adjust on the fly each Friday night. But that’s not necessarily as difficult as it sounds considering one thing stays constant from week to week.

“They’re blitzing all out and making me get rid of the football,” Young said.

So that’s what the Mustangs (14-0) expect when they host Madison (13-1) Friday in the 2A Western final.

One thing East Lincoln can learn from Madison on film is the Patriots’ size and strength, and not just on the offensive and defensive fronts.

“They may be as big and as physical a team as we’ve played all year,” Byus said.

Madison is run-heavy on offense out of multiple formations but will throw the ball when necessary, Byus said. The Patriots advanced by beating Shelby 28-21 last week on a night Shelby turned it over five times.

Deryck Hilemon rushed for 190 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries last week as Madison’s go-to player. Quarterback Tyler Rogers is also a running threat as he rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns last week while passing for another score. Hilemon and Rogers also play linebacker.

Madison held Shelby to 266 total yards, including 79 rushing on 20 carries. Shelby quarterback Spencer Clark completed 10 of 27 passes for 187 yards, including a touchdown at the 10:32 mark of the fourth quarter that tied it at 21. Madison scored the winning touchdown with 3:58 left on an 8-yard pass from Rogers to Cole Cuthbertson.

Madison finished runner-up to 1A Hendersonville in the Western Highlands 1A/2A Conference, falling to the Bearcats 44-21. That game represented Madison’s only loss of the season, and the Patriots have since reeled off an eight-game winning streak, including playoff wins against Mountain Heritage (62-7) and Owen (14-7) prior to the Shelby game.

As for the Mustangs, they’ve tied the 2008 team for most wins in school history and are looking to match that team in another regard by reaching the state title game. A win Friday would do it.

“The kids are excited but doing a good job staying grounded,” Byus said.

Said Young: “We’re loving it. We’re just excited to be out here. Fourth round is pretty good, but we’re not satisfied.”